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Clinic & Pathology

Italy:

ARC-NET Center for Applied Research on Cancer

University of Verona

Hospital Trust of Verona

PANcreatic Italian Network

Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sulle Malattie del Pancreas

Australia:

Garvan Institute of Medical Research

The sample collection follows the ICGC guidelines and has approval frrom the local Ethics Committee for prospective collection of samples and data. The collection follows defined standard operating procedures and is quality controlled to ensure its integrity and homogeneity. The collection procedure is monitored using performance analysis tools. Qualitative and Quantitative Diagnosis is carried out using WHO and modified TNM respectively under the coordinated review of expert pathologists.

Sequencing & Analysis

Italy:

ARC-NET Center for Applied Research on Cancer

Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sulle Malattie del Pancreas

Australia:

Queensland Centre for Medical Genomics

The collected samples will be sequenced using Illumina GAIIx / HiSeq 2000 sequencing platforms to catalogue the full repertoire of somatic DNA mutations and define “driver” genomic aberrations and phenotypes by examining the relationships between data generated and clinico-pathological, treatment and outcome data. RNA-Seq will be used for comparative whole transcriptome sequencing.

Complementary Studies

Italy:

ARC-NET Center for Applied Research on Cancer

PANcreatic Italian Network

Fondazione Italiana per la Ricerca sulle Malattie del Pancreas

Copy number DNA Alterations will be carried out using NimbleGen CGH arrays, for the identification and molecular characterization of novel deletions and duplications at whole-genome level.

Small RNA sequencing will allow characterization of known and novel microRNAs as well as other non-coding RNAs, such as piwi-interacting RNAs and siRNAs in these tumors.

Data Storage, Analysis & Management

Italy:

ARC-NET Center for Applied Research on Cancer

The entire project will be coordinated and managed by a centralized group. The collection and storage of information concerning the patient, the sample and sequencing analysis will be stored and linked in systems protected by a disaster recovery plan to ensure the protection (access and loss) of this vital information.

Project Summary

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms represent the most common non-glandular and non-exocrine epithelial neoplasms of gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Acinar cell carcinomas, solid pseudopapillary neoplasms, and pancreatoblastomas are solid exocrine pancreatic neoplasms. Mucinous pancreatic tumours are the most frequent cystic neoplasias that are increasingly diagnosed and pose a significant clinical dilemma.
Pancreatic cancer surgery remains the only curative option for the rare pancreatic tumours. The majority of patients have advanced disease for which no curative options are available.

The primary aims of the Italian Pancreatic Cancer Genome project are to deep sequence rare pancreatic tumors, in particular pancreatic endocrine tumors and execute expression profiling of RNA & microRNA using RNA seq to analyze patterns. A quality controlled prospective accrual of 250 tumors will be carried out and linked with their clinical, pathological and follow-up data for these analyses.